Life With Mine's Cousin
by Flora Perendie
Summary: After Hatori has been seeing his girlfriend for a short while, his life starts to move in a slightly new direction. Continuation with permission of SohmaElric91's story "Mine's Cousin". Rated up to M. HatorixOC. Het M/F.
1. Meeting Shigure

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket.

Note: This chapter is rated **K+** for some of the questions Shigure asks, or tries to ask anyway.

A/N: This is my OC here, so don't try and steal her. This is also a continuation of SohmaElric91's story "Mine's Cousin" that my OC was featured in. I have been given permission by the author to continue it. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Are we there yet Hari?"

"Not quite, but close," Hatori replied with a soft chuckle. He looked down at the girl in the seat next to him and smiled. Flora had been his girlfriend for over a week now and things seemed to be going well between the two of them. So well, in fact, that he had finally given in to her request to meet his cousin, Shigure Sohma.

"You said it only took five minutes to get there though..." Flora pouted back at Hatori, but he could tell that she was being playful. He'd seen that pout a few times already during the past week.

"I didn't mean literally, but if you look ahead of you, you'll see his house come into view." He nodded forward and she immediately looked up, her eyes brightening visibly as they took in the house.

"It's beautiful," she said brightly. "I like it."

"I'm not surprised," he smiled down at her as he parked the car in front of house. He immediately got out then ran to her side of the car and opened her door for her. "My lady," he said with a slight bow.

She blushed slightly and smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said as she stood out of the car. He offered her his arm then led her to the house, knocking on the door loud enough to make sure that his cousin would hear it even if he had been asleep.

"Coming!" Shigure called in a sing-song voice. He leapt up from his seat on the floor in his study and rushed to the door, smiling brightly when he saw Hatori standing there. "Ahh, Hari! It's been far too long! You hardly come to visit me anymore." He pouted slightly with this last statement.

"I've been busy between work and my girlfriend," Hatori replied coolly.

"Girlfriend?" Shigure blinked then looked down at Flora, smiling at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there at first. I'm Shigure Sohma." He bowed slightly to her.

Flora only smiled more and bowed slightly in return. "I'm Flora Trunfield," she replied, "and I'm very pleased to meet you. You have no idea how long I've been looking forward to this."

"Oh really now?" Shigure raised an eyebrow at her then pouted at Hatori. "Hari, you haven't been telling stories about me again, have you?"

"Not at all," she said before Hatori could answer. "You see, I'm a novelist, and ever since I read a few of yours, I've been really curious to meet you."

Shigure brightened visibly at this. "You should've told me she was a fan of mine Hari!"

"I didn't want to stroke your ego too much," he replied with a shrug.

"I'm hurt Ha-san, really." Shigure pouted at him then motioned the pair inside. "Come in, come in. Have some tea with me."

"Thanks!" Flora replied brightly, practically dragging Hatori with her as she followed Shigure to the dining room.

A few minutes later as they sat around the dining room table, silently sipping at their tea, Shigure decided to break the somewhat awkward silence. "So, Flora," he said, looking over at the girl with a smile, "you said you were a novelist? What have you written?"

"Nothing big," she said with a hint of bitterness. "I've published several short stories along with a whole collection of them, but I can't seem to find a publisher that will take any of my novel ideas seriously."

He laughed a bit nervously. "I'm sure you just haven't found the right one yet."

"I've sent both my edited and unedited novel to over two hundred publishing houses across America," she said softly, looking down at her tea cup. "It seems no one wants me."

Shigure exchanged a look with Hatori then looked back at Flora. "If you want, I can look over your work and see if I can't figure out something that might help get you published."

Flora's eyes were wide as she looked at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "You really mean it?"

"Of course!" he laughed. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't."

"Thank you so much!" she laughed.

"You're welcome," he smiled at her. "By the way, what kind of writing do you do most?"

She shrugged. "A bit of everything, really, but my novels are mainly fantasy set in today's society."

"Sounds interesting," Hatori added, causing her to jump.

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly.

Shigure smirked as he watched the pair, noting how his cousin regarded Flora so fondly. It seemed that his cousin had finally overcome his fear of women after losing Kana when he met Flora. Without knowing for sure, though, this was all just conjecture. Time to find out the truth about them, he thought.

"Say Hari," Shigure started slowly as he poured himself another cup of tea, "where exactly did you two meet?"

Hatori raised an eyebrow at his cousin. "At Ayame's shop – Flora is Miné's cousin."

"I see. So that makes you the girl Miné was intending to set Hari up with, right?" He couldn't help but smirk as Flora turned bright red.

"I-I didn't know about that plan..." she looked down quickly.

"Don't worry, I was just curious," he said with a nonchalant shrug. "Besides it's not like it's any of my business if you two have had—"

"That's enough Shigure," Hatori cut him off with a glare.

"Sorry, sorry," he said with a nervous laugh. "I promise not to pry anymore."

"Good," Hatori said as he wrapped an arm around Flora gently. She looked up at him with a small smile then leaned against him slightly.

Most normal people would have let the subject go at that, but Shigure was far from normal. "I do have one last question for you two..."

Hatori rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing too big, really," he answered, a smirk starting to form on his face again. "But... when's the wedding?"

The couple looked at each other for a moment then glared across the table at him.

"SHIGURE!"


	2. Turn Off The Light

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Turn Off The Light by Nelly Furtado

Warning: This chapter is rated **M** for some rather graphic sex.

A/N: A follow-up chapter to SohmaElric91's "Mine's Cousin" story. I'm not sure if I want to go anywhere with it after this - any reviews with opinions one way or another would be appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

The night air was unusually warm and humid for early July. It seemed that summer was already working over time on the heat and had brushed off the last few bits of spring. This pleased Flora all the more – it meant less time running around in t-shirts and jeans and more time running around in tank tops and shorts. She smirked at the thought as she slowly turned the page in her book.

"_It's getting so lonely inside this bed  
__To know if I should lick my wounds  
__Or say, 'Woe is me' instead"_

She shivered as the nightly breeze swept through the house and managed to find its way into the bedroom despite the fact that she had specifically shut that window. It didn't help the fact at all that it made her shirt play across her chest in a playful manner, sending a second shiver down her spine. Frustrated, she momentarily set her book aside.

"Hari?" she moaned. "Where are you?"

"Still working," he called back from his office.

"Figures," she muttered under her breath. "I can never get his attention when I want it." She sighed and picked up her book again.

"_And there's an aching inside my head  
__It's telling me you're better off alone"_

Time seemed to pass at a much faster rate than normal as Hatori sat at his desk, slaving over the day's paperwork. Hearing Flora mutter about being alone didn't help him either. He longed to abandon his duties and rush to her side, but he knew it would do him no good.

They had been together for several weeks now and, although she had spent most every night with him, they had never once been fully together. She insisted on waiting a little longer before they had sex for the first time and it was starting to drive him crazy. She seemed intent on driving him up the wall with how little she wore when she slept next to him too.

"_But after midnight, morning will come  
__And the day will see if you will get some"_

She flipped through the pages of her book lazily, time seeming to all but stop as she read. The book was interesting enough, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of the man a few rooms down.

They had met at his cousin's shop, where she had gone to order a bridesmaid's dress for her best friend's wedding. He had been quiet, reserved, almost shy around her, but that hadn't stopped her from asking his name and, eventually, for the chance to see him again. So with his cousin cheering him on, Hatori had asked her on a date for the next day.

Everything had been going quite smoothly for them since then, except for his repetitive asking that they take their relationship to the next level. She rolled her eyes at the thought. It wasn't that she really wanted to wait – she just had a feeling that bringing sex into the mix might complicate things more than she was ready for.

"_They say that girl ya know she act too  
__Tough tough tough  
__Well it's till I turn off the light, turn off the light"_

With a sigh he finished filing the last of the day's papers and stood. He shrugged out of his lab coat and hung it on the back of his office door then headed back to the bedroom. He found her exactly as he had left her – reading, but this time, she was wearing much less clothing. Upon hearing him enter, she looked up.

"Took you long enough," she said dryly, though he noted the hint of playfulness in her voice.

"I worked as fast as I could – you know that," he replied, casually unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it to the floor. He would take care of it later, he told himself.

"_They say that girl ya know she act too  
__Rough rough rough  
__Well it's till I turn off the light, turn off the light"_

She looked up at him as she heard his belt buckle come undone and immediately wished she hadn't. He silently slipped off his work slacks and the beater he had on underneath, revealing his beautifully sculpted chest. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight and her mouth hung open in awe, just as it had every night since she started staying with him.

"Something wrong?" he asked in a concerned voice.

She shook her head rather violently and flushed, glad that her hair was past shoulder length now and could hide her face as she looked down intently at her book. "Not at all," she answered, her voice shaking only slightly. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her book on them for added protection.

"_And I say follow me, follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__Till you see all my dreams"_

His quiet footsteps across the room were the only sound to be heard next to the breeze that continued to find its way into the bedroom. He sat next to her and looked over her shoulder to see what she was reading. She only blushed more at this and pulled away slightly.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked in a voice that tried to seem upset, but wasn't at all convincing.

"Just wondering what you're reading," he replied with a smile. She looked up at him and he smiled more as he leaned close and kissed her softly. A soft breath escaped her lips as the pair kissed.

"_Not everything in this magical world  
__Is quite what it seems"_

The sound of her book falling to the floor made both of them jump. She quickly pulled away, blushing even more.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she leaned over the edge of the bed and grabbed it.

"It's all right," he said softly, distracted by how gracefully she moved and how her panties clung so nicely to her ass due to the humidity. He reached forward to grab it when she suddenly fell over the side of the bed.

"Ouch!" she cried, sitting up quickly and putting a hand on both her head and neck.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he got down next to her. She shook her head. "How did you land?"

"Head first," she grumbled. "But it's my neck that hurts more."

"_I looked above the other day  
_'_Cause I think I'm good and ready for a change"_

"Here, let me help." He smiled at her and gently removed her hand from her neck. She looked at him suspiciously for a moment then shrugged, telling him to do whatever he wanted. He reached forward and gently massaged her neck, frowning a bit at all the knots he found there.

"You're tense." It wasn't a question so much as a statement of fact. She shrugged again.

"I've just been nervous lately," she replied simply.

"About what?" He was sure that his curiosity would soon prove to be his downfall.

"About... something..." Her words faltered and she sighed.

He leaned close and pressed his lips against her ear, whispering, "You know you can tell me – as a doctor I'm bound by doctor-patient confidentiality."

She shivered, but this time, it wasn't from the heat. "Hatori..." she breathed.

"Yes Flora?" He vaguely noted that he had stopped massaging her neck.

"I want you," she whispered.

"_I live my life by the moon  
__If it's high, play it low, if it's harvest, go slow  
__And if it's full, then go"_

His eyes widened slightly in surprise – had she really just said that?

"You... what?" he asked, bewildered.

"I said I want you," she murmured, blushing profusely.

He gently turned her chin up toward his, smiling at her. "Then you may have me," he said in a sultry tone. Her eyes widened slightly and her jaw dropped in surprise. He chuckled softly and quickly leaned in for a kiss.

"_But after midnight, morning will come  
__And the day will see if you will get some"_

She quickly kissed him back as the reality of the situation set in. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and he gently pulled her into his arms. She clung to him as he laid her down on the bed, tightening her grip when he tried to pull away.

"_They say that girl ya know she act too  
__Tough tough tough  
__Well it's till I turn off the light, turn off the light"_

"Where are you—" she began.

"I'm not a fan of leaving all the lights on when I'm about to go to bed," he replied with a bit of a smirk.

"_They say that girl ya know she act too  
__Rough rough rough  
__Well it's till I turn off the light, turn off the light"_

He quickly returned to the bedroom after turning off the last of the house lights, but left the door open in the hopes that the air would continue circulating through the house. Flora was still laying on the bed, the remains of a blush on her cheeks. He grinned as he lay down next to her, purposely brushing his lips across hers as he reached over and turned off the bedside lamp. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around him again, biting down on her lower lip softly.

"_And I say follow me, follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__Till you see all my dreams  
__Not everything in this magical world  
__Is quite what it seems"_

As the artificial light faded from her vision, she looked up at Hatori in the pale moonlight. His features were all softened by the light, but she felt as if she could see them more clearly. She hesitantly reached a hand up and traced his lips with the tip of her finger. He smiled at her and gently kissed the end of it.

He noticed the curiosity in her eyes as she looked up at him, almost as if she'd seen him for the very first time. He gently brushed a few stray hairs from her cheeks, bringing another slight blush to her cheeks. She seemed undeterred, though, as she trailed her finger tips across every last of his facial features. Her fingers lingered next to his left eye.

"_And I'm searching for things that I just cannot see  
__Why don't you, don't you, don't you  
__Come and be with me?"_

"How did it happen?" she whispered, afraid of what the answer might be.

"Does it matter?" He was avoiding the question, and they both knew it.

"No... I suppose it doesn't."

"_I pretend to be cool with me, want to believe  
__That I can do it on my own  
__Without my heart on my sleeve"_

He gently pulled her hand from his face and kissed her palm gently, sending a shiver running through her body. He held her hand still as he leaned forward and kissed her lips with the same gentleness. Her body reacted by pressing against his, her free hand tracing his spine with the same delicate fingers that had ghosted across his face. He groaned softly in response and kissed her again, adding the depth they had both been longing for.

"_I'm running, I'm running, catch up with my life  
__Or is it love that I'm looking to find?"_

Their movements, so slow and calculated at first, suddenly gained speed as the heat of the moment began to catch up with them. He all but ripped off her tank top and began to massage her breasts, causing her to moan and drag her nails across his back.

He groaned as he slowly trailed a hand down her side and began to slip off her panties. She moaned softly and tentatively kissed his neck. When he groaned appreciatively, she grinned to herself and did it again, her hands coming to rest at the waistline of his boxers.

"_It's all in me, can't you see?  
__Why can't you, why can't you see?  
__It's all in me"_

She gasped in surprise as he slowly pushed a finger between her lower lips. Her grip on him tightened as he began to tease her clit and she moaned even louder than she had before. He grinned and took advantage of the moment by turning her head to the side with his own and nipping her neck. She moaned all the louder, her breath starting to come in raggedly.

"H-Hatori..." she gasped as he pinched her clit and shivered fiercely. Her hands fumbled as she struggled to get his boxers off, her face starting to turn red despite her efforts to keep it from doing so.

"_All in me yeah, where is your logic?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

"Yes?" he smiled at her as he pulled back. But that quickly vanished when he saw her face. She was bright red, panting, and had a look of terror in her eyes behind all of the nervousness she tried to cover it up with. "Flora, what's wrong?"

"I-I... I mean I've never..." she faltered, quickly looking away. His eyes widened in understanding and he stroked her cheek gently as he pulled his fingers away from her lower half.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a virgin?"

"_Who do you need?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

Her reply was soft, and he could hear the tears that she held back as she struggled to get her words out. "I was afraid you wouldn't want me..."

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, whispering against her lips. "I have wanted you since the moment I first saw you. How could I not want you?"

She shivered as she whispered back. "I'm so... inexperienced. And I lied to you." Her eyes were full of concern as she looked up at him.

"That was never something I was worried about," he replied with a smile.

"_And I say follow me, follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__Do you see all my dreams?  
__(Yea)  
__Not everything in this magical world  
__Is quite what it seems"_

She blushed again as she reached up and kissed him, cursing internally when a few tears ran down her cheeks. It was her hope that he wouldn't notice them, but, of course, Hatori was the kind of person who rarely missed anything.

"Is something wrong?" he asked as he brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"No, I'm fine," she replied honestly. She smiled up at him, her face still a bit pink. "But I have something to ask you."

"What's that?"

"Take it slow? I'm not sure what I'm doing here..."

"Don't worry Flora – it's been a while for me as well."

"_Follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__(Do you see all my dreams?)"_

His hands slowly guided hers as she pulled off his boxers, her lips held in a kiss by his own to keep her from sputtering anymore apologies for having no experience. He gently rested her hands on his lower back then reached between her legs and immediately began to tease her clit again. She moaned and dug her nails into him appreciatively, her tongue pressing against his lips softly to ask permission to enter.

"_Follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

As she pushed her tongue into his mouth, he pushed a finger into her core. She winced and made a small noise in pain. He tried to pull back but her hands held him firmly where he was. After a few moments had passed, her tongue began to explore his mouth and he took this as a sign that everything was all right. He slowly moved his finger in and out of her, eliciting a few moans that echoed in the kiss.

"_And I said follow me, follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__(Do you see all my dreams?)  
__See all my dreams"_

Once she had been properly prepared he hovered over her, looking directly in her eyes. The nervousness was still there, but, he noted with a smile, the terror was gone.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, leaning close and hovering his mouth only an inch from hers.

"Take me Hatori," she whispered breathlessly. "I want to be yours."

"_Follow me, follow me, follow me  
__Down, down, down, down  
__See all my dreams  
__See all my dreams"_

She cried out in pain as he pushed into her, and clung tightly to him. She had known it would hurt, but she still hadn't been quite ready for it.

"Shh, it's all right," he whispered in her ear, not moving a single muscle in his body. "I won't move until you're ready."

She nodded but didn't say anything, focusing on regaining a breathing pattern. When she had done that she looked up at him and nodded again. "I'm ready," she said with a soft smile.

He smiled back at her and slowly began to move against her. She winced for a while, but she never once told him to stop. Slowly, her wincing subsided and her hands began to wander all over his back.

"_Where is your logic?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

"Faster Hari," she whispered in his ear. "I need you."

The words caught him off guard almost as much as the grinding of his earlobe that ensued did. She was getting bolder as she got closer to her end, and he could feel it. He groaned and followed her instruction, a grin creeping across his face as her moans increased in volume.

"_Who do you need?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

His thrusts into her slowly got faster, harder, and after a short while, she found she was already close to her release.

"I-I'm... close..." she whispered in his ear, dragging her nails across his back then nipping at his neck. He groaned in reply and moved all the faster.

He wasn't expecting the amount of passion she put into the kiss she pulled him into as she came. She moaned his name loudly into his mouth and shivered fiercely as the orgasm ripped through her. He thrust into her one last time then went stiff as he, too, released, groaning loudly as he kissed her back.

"_Where can you turn?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)"_

It seemed like an eternity passed before she finally broke the kiss. She looked up at him, panting heavily, a slight grin on her face.

"That good, hm?" he asked with a chuckle.

She nodded. "Better than I could have imagined."

"It only gets better from here," he noted.

"I can hardly wait," she replied with a laugh.

She winced only slightly as he pulled himself and laid down next to her. He immediately pulled her into his arms and she snuggled close, her eyes closing slowly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he replied, leaning over kissing her forehead softly. "And thank you."

"_And where is your logic?  
__(Turn off the light, turn off the light)_

"I'm glad you were my first," she said as she reached up and kissed his cheek softly.

He smiled at her. "I'm glad I could make this enjoyable experience for you."

She nodded, a smile forming on her lips. "Hey Hari, I have... something I've been meaning to tell you..."

"What's that Flora?" He tilted his head slightly at her, wondering what was on her mind now.

"Well, I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but I... I think... I mean I know... that I..."

"_Who do you need?"_

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, looking up at him with a smile. "I love you," she said simply.


	3. Don't Forget To Breathe

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Don't Forget To Breathe by Bitter:Sweet

Warning: This chapter is rated **T** for some slight anst and some drunken-ness.

A/N: I'm not sure how much more I have planned for this little arc, but I don't expect to be writing more than two or three more chapters before wrapping it up. Not sure though, we'll let the characters decide. Enjoy!

* * *

The day had been a typical one, with Hatori working most of the day and Flora spending most of her time by herself. Today, however, was anything but typical, as it was the day that she was officially moving in with him and she had spent the entire day in her little apartment packing up what she needed, throwing away what was broken, and putting the rest aside to be donated later. She knew that Hatori would be over soon to pick her and her things up, but she still had a lot of packing to do before she was ready to go.

"_Once upon a dream, I was dying for you"_

As Hatori stepped up to her apartment door, he could hear her running around grabbing things to pack up. He chuckled softly then knocked on the door. She squealed in surprise then ran to the door and opened it, panting slightly.

"Sorry," she said a bit breathlessly, "I'm not quite done yet."

"It's all right," he replied as he stepped inside, "I'll help you if you'd like."

Blushing slightly, she nodded. "That'd be great, thanks."

"_Tasting only sweet, drinking memories of you"_

"There's a few boxes in the kitchen that need to be taped up," she called back to him as she headed to the bathroom. "There's some duct tape on the table – let me know if you need my help!"

"I will!" he called back to her, taking a look around. The place was a complete disaster with more boxes to count than he could truly see. He had been here twice before and it had been very neat and orderly, just like she seemed to be. Now, however, boxes formed columns that made pathways from one room to another and he had to wonder how she had gotten some of them up that high.

Shrugging, he stepped around a few boxes into the kitchen and began to tape up those that were already filled to the top. He had to wonder just how many trips the two of them were going to have to take to get everything to his place before they could finally settle into bed for the night.

"_Your hand touches my cheek as you whisper softly"_

In the bathroom she had forced all of her things into just two boxes, one of which had room for a few other odds and ends from elsewhere in the apartment. As she struggled to close the full box, she caught her hand just right on one of the cardboard edges and gave herself a deep cut across the side of her thumb.

"Ouch!" she cried out, falling to the floor. In a flash Hatori had made his way through the perilous labyrinth of boxes to her side. She was gently washing out the cut, a few tears in her eyes.

"Let me help," he said softly, gently taking her hand and examining the cut. "It's fairly deep, but you won't need any stitches. You should, however, watch how much weight you put on it until it's fully healed. Where is your first aid kit?"

Her eyes were slightly distant as she listened to him. She hadn't eaten much of anything today – a bagel for breakfast, a few potato chips for lunch – and it had finally caught up to her. She had intended to order some pizza over an hour ago, but apparently she had forgotten that as well. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, exhausted from all of the day's efforts and having eaten nothing.

"_Don't forget to breathe  
__Our love will be redeemed"_

"Flora?" his voice made her jump as she looked up at him through half-closed eyes.

"Huh?" she managed.

"Where is your first aid kit?"

"Oh, in that box that I was trying to close."

He nodded and released her long enough to retrieve it before wrapping an arm around her again to balance her. She watched numbly as he bandaged her hand, her eyes half-closed and her body swaying slightly against his arm. He sighed as he finished and looked her in the eyes.

"_And when you take my hand  
__You'll know exactly where I am"_

"Have you eaten anything today?" he asked firmly.

"Not really," she admitted. She felt a soft blush touch her cheeks.

"Then packing can wait while I take you out for dinner." And with that he picked her up in his arms and headed for the door.

"Wait! We can't afford to take that much time off for this – I have to work tomorrow so this is the only day we can do this. Please, just take us to the grocery store or something and I'll get something to eat from there."

He looked down at her and sighed in a resigned manner. "Fine," he said, causing her to smile brightly. "But if you don't get enough for yourself, I'll be helping you pick everything out."

"_A toast to starry nights, seeking comfort divine"_

A full hour, a stop at both a grocery and liquor store later, the pair returned to the apartment with enough food for four people and a bottle of champagne. Hatori gently set her down next to a box she claimed had the correct glasses in it then watched as she emerged from it a minute later with two glasses, a triumphant smile on her face. "Told you I had them," she added with a smirk.

He chuckled as she set up a small picnic on the floor for them, consisting of sandwiches, potato chips, and ice cream that was now hiding in the freezer for dessert. He poured them each a glass of champagne and gently handed her a glass before grabbing his own.

"To leaving one life and starting a new one," she toasted softly. He smiled and clinked his glass with hers before taking a sip.

"_Celebrating life, swimming circles in light"_

The two ate silently, Flora making her way through several sandwiches before he had even finished his first. They both munched happily on the potato chips in silence before he finally decided to break it.

"Flora..." he started softly, "are you sure you're ready for this step?"

She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Of course I am. I've been all but living with you for over a month now – I _want_ to be close to you. Or closer to you anyway," she added with a laugh.

He smiled at her softly. "I just don't want you to regret this decision in a few weeks."

"Trust me, I won't," she replied with a smile of her own.

"_And I look to the sea and hear you whisper softly"_

After they had cleaned up from their picnic and finished off the ice cream, they remained sitting on the floor in the living room. They had decided to finish off the champagne before returning to the packing, but it seemed that it wouldn't happen now. Neither of them would be able, nor willing, to carry any of the boxes down a flight of stairs just to walk back up them.

"Hari," Flora said suddenly, flopping back to the floor in a rather unceremonious manner, "I don't think the champagne was a good idea anymore."

"Why is that?" he asked, sipping at the last of what was in his glass before pouring himself a bit more.

"Because I don't think I'm going to be able to stand very well after this," she giggled. "I didn't eat enough today and I can feel the alcohol getting to me already."

"_Don't forget to breathe  
__Our love will be redeemed  
__And when you take my hand  
__You'll know exactly where I am"_

He immediately leaned over her, setting his glass just out of her reach as looked her in the eyes. She looked back at him and giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck with her glass still in her hand.

"Something interesting, hm?" she asked, smirking slightly.

"You're drunk," he said simply, taking the glass from her hand and setting it beside his own.

"Am not!" she said indignantly. "I need a lot more alcohol than this to get drunk."

"If you've eaten properly, which you haven't," he corrected her. "You drank your way through over half the bottle already, which means you are, to a certain extent, drunk."

She blushed and immediately felt bad for snapping at him. "Sorry," she murmured.

"_I hear you calling to me  
__See you but you can't see me"_

"It's all right," he replied softly. "But we shouldn't pack anymore tonight. We wouldn't want you losing track of anything or maybe falling while carrying a box."

"All right," she said, nodding. "What do we do now then? Well, besides finish off the bottle."

"I'm not sure," he answered, sitting her up and handing her glass back to her after filling it with the last of the alcohol. "We can stay here for the night, if you haven't stripped the bed yet."

She shook her head. "Not yet – that was my last thing to do, just in case I needed a nap today."

He nodded. "Good plan," he said softly, quickly finishing off what was in his glass.

"_We never said our goodbyes  
__So dark and lonely your eyes"_

"Something on your mind," she asked a few minutes later. He had stared off into the distance without saying anything and, after she had finished her champagne, she'd realized it. When he didn't say anything, she gave him a bit of a shake. "Hatori, are you in there? Hatori!"

He jumped slightly at her words and shook his head. All of the things she had said finally settled in as he looked down at her. "Yes, everything's all right," he said softly.

"You don't look all right. You look like something's on your mind, almost as if something was haunting you."

"Maybe she is," he whispered, more to himself than to Flora.

"Who is?" she whispered back, looking him in the eyes.

"_You'll always be in my heart  
__There is no death to us part"_

"Kana," he sighed, "my first and only other girlfriend."

"Oh," she whispered, wishing now that she hadn't asked. He had mentioned once or twice before that he'd been in another relationship, but he'd never explained and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear about it while intoxicated.

"Things were different then. I wasn't allowed to be with anyone, so when I asked for permission to marry her, the head of my family showed his displeasure with me in a very violent manner." He rested his hand over his left eye then closed them both with a sigh.

Sitting up on her knees, she straddled his legs and moved his hand from his face gently. He opened his eyes to see what she was doing and she merely smiled at him. "Things are different now, so don't worry so much," she whispered. "I'm not Kana and I'll do what I have to for us to work, I promise."

"_Don't forget to breathe  
__Our love will be redeemed"_

He smiled back at her softly and rested a hand on her cheek gently. This girl wasn't so different from Kana as he had first thought. She was kind, bright, and ever the optimist. Flora, however, had something that Kana did not – the courage to stand up to anyone who tried to pull them apart. The fact that she could stand up to Shigure's teasing had already proven to him that she was strong. He half wondered what Akito would have thought of her then shrugged the thought off – it really didn't matter anyway.

"_And when you take my hand"_

"Feel better now?" she asked softly.

"Much," he replied with a nod, wrapping his arms around her waist gently.

"_You'll know exactly where I am"_

"Good, I'd hate to lose my Hari to his thoughts when I'm right here in front of him." She giggled and picked up her glass again, downing what was left in one drink. Yes, Hatori thought, she was definitely drunk.


End file.
